Lest this great sea of joys rushing upon me,
O'erbear the shores of my mortality, [hither,
And drown me with their sweetness. O, come
Thou that begett'st him that did thee beget;
Thou that wast born at sea, buried at Tharsus,
And found at sea again !-O Helicanus,
Down on thy knees, thank the holy gods as
loud

As thunder threatens us: this is Marina.—
What was thy mother's name? tell me but that,
For truth can never be confirm'd enough,
Though doubts did ever sleep.

Mar.

What is your title?

First, sir, I pray,

Per. I am Pericles of Tyre: but tell me now My drown'd queen's name, as in the rest you said [doms, Thou hast been godlike perfect, the heir of kingAnd another life to Pericles thy father. Mar. Is it no more to be your daughter,

than

To say my mother's name was Thaisa?
Thaisa was my mother, who did end
The minute I began.

Per. Now, blessing on thee! rise; thou art
my child.
[licanus;
Give me fresh garments. Mine own, He-.
She is not dead at Tharsus, as she should have.
been,

By savage Cleon she shall tell thee all;
When thou shalt kneel, and justify in knowledge
She is thy very princess. Who is this?

Hel. Sir, 'tis the governor of Mitylene,
Who, hearing of your melancholy state,
Did come to see you.

Per.

I embrace you. Give me my robes. I am wild in my behold[music?

ing.

O heavens, bless my girl! But, hark! what
Tell Helicanus, my Marina, tell him
O'er, point by point, for yet he seems to doubt,
How sure you are my daughter.-But, what
Hel. My lord, I hear none. [music?

Per. None?

The music of the spheres!-list, my Marina.
Lys. It is not good to cross him; give him

way.

Per. Karest sounds! Do ye not hear?
Lys. Music? My lord, I hear-
Per.
Most heavenly music!
It nips me unto list'ning, and thick slumber
Hangs upon mine eyes: let me rest.

[He sleeps.

Lys. A pillow for his head.
So leave him all.-Well, my companion-friends,
If this but answer to my just belief,
I'll well remember you.

And do upon mine altar sacrifice.
There, when my maiden priests are met to-
Before the people all,
[gether,
Reveal how thou at sea didst lose thy wife :
To mourn thy crosses, with thy daughter's, call,
And give them repetition to the life.
Or perform my bidding, or thou liv'st in woe;
Do it, and happy; by my silver bow
Awake, and tell thy dream. [Diana disappears.
Per. Celestial Dian, goddess argentine,
I will obey thee.-Helicanus !
Enter Helicanus, Lysimacnus, and Marina.
Hel.
Sir?
Per. My purpose was for Tharsus, there to
The inhospitable Cleon : but I am [strike
For other service first: toward Ephesus
Turn our blown sails; eftsoons I'll tell thee
why.

[To Lys.] Shall we refresh us, sir, upon your
And give you gold for such provision [shore,
As our intents will need?

Lys. Sir, with all my heart; and when you
I have another suit.
[come ashore,
Per.
You shall prevail,
Were it to woo my daughter; for it seems
You have been noble towards her.
Lys.
Sir, lend me your arm.
Per. Come, my Marina.
[Exeunt.
Enter Gower, before the Temple of Ďiana at
Ephesus.

Gow. Now our sands are almost run;

More a little, and then dumb.

This, as my last boon, give me,

(For such kindness must relieve me,)

That you aptly will suppose

What pageantry, what feats, what shows,
What minstrelsy, and pretty din,
The regent made in Mitylin,

To greet the king. So he thriv'd,
That he is promis'd to be wiv'd
To fair Marina; but in no wise
Till he had dore his sacrifice,

As Dian bade: whereto being bound,
The interim, pray you, all confound.
In feather'd briefness sails are fill'd,
And wishes fall out as they're will'd.
At Ephesus, the temple see,
Our king, and all his company.
That he can hither come so soon,
Is by your fancy's thankful boon.

[Exit. SCENE III.-The Temple of Diana at Ephesus; Thaisa standing near the altar, as high-priestess; a number of Virgins on each side; Cerimon and other inhabitants of Ephesus attending.

[Exeunt all except Pericles. Enter Pericles, with his train; Lysimachus,

Helicanus, Marina, and a Lady.

Per. Hail, Dian! to perform thy just
command,

I here confess myself the king of Tyre:
Who, frighted from my country, did wed
At Pentapolis, the fair Thaisa.

At sea in childbed died she, but brought forth I left behind an ancient substitute:

A maid-child call'd Marina; who, O goddess,
Wears yet thy silver livery. She at Tharsus
Was nurs'd with Cleon; whom at fourteen

years

us,

He sought to murder; but her better stars
Brought her to Mitylene; 'gainst whose shore
Riding, her fortunes brought the maid aboard
[she
Where, by her own most clear remembrance,
Made known herself my daughter.
Thai.
Voice and favour!
You are, you are-O royal Pericles!-

[She faints.
Per. What means the woman? she dies!
Cer. Noble sir,
[help, gentlemen!
If you have told Diana's altar true,
This is your wife.

Per.

Reverend appearer, no;
I threw her o'erboard with these very arms.
Cer. Upon this coast, I warrant you.
Per.
"Tis most certain.
Cer. Look to the lady;-O, she's but o'er-
Early one blustering morn this lady was [joy'd.
Thrown upon this shore. I op'd the coffin;
Found there rich jewels; recover'd her, and
Here, in Diana's temple.
[plac'd her
May we see them?

Per.

Cer. Great sir, they shall be brought you to my house,

Can you remember what I call'd the man?
I have nam'd him oft.
Thai.

'Twas Helicanus, then.

Per. Still confirmation:
Embrace him, dear Thaisa; this is he.
Now do I long to hear how you were found;
How possibly preserv'd; and whom to thank,
Besides the gods, for this great miracle.

Thai. Lord Cerimon, my lord; this man, Through whom the gods have shown their power; that can

From first to last resolve you.
Per.
Reverend sir,
The gods can have no mortal officer
More like a god than you. Will you deliver
How this dead queen re-lives?
Cer.

will, my lord. Beseech you, first go with me to my house, Where shall be shown you all was found with her;

How she came placed here in the temple;
No needful thing omitted.

Per. Pure Dian, bless thee for thy vision! I
Will offer night oblations to thee. Thaisa,
This prince, the fair betrothed of your daugh-
Shall marry her at Pentapolis.-And now, [ter,
This ornament,

Makes me look dismal, will I clip to form ;
And what this fourteen years no razor touch'd,

Whither I invite you. Look, Thaisa is reco-To grace thy marriage-day, I'll beautify.

Thai. O, let me look!

[ver'd.

If he be none of mine, my sanctity
Will to my sense bend no licentious ear,
But curb it, spite of seeing. O, my lord,
Are you not Pericles? Like him you speak,
Like him you are did you not name a tem-
A birth, and death?
[pest,
Per.
The voice of dead Thaisa!
Thai. That Thaisa am I, supposed dead,
Per. Immortal Dian!
[and drown'd.
Thai.
Now I know you better.
When we with tears parted Pentapolis,
The king, my father, gave you such a ring.
(Points to his ring.
Per. This, this: no more, you gods! your
present kindness
[well,
Makes my past miseries sport: you shall do
That on the touching of her lips I may
Melt, and no more be seen. O, come, be
A second time within these arms. [buried
Mar.
My heart
Leaps to be gone into my mother's bosom.
[Kneels to Thaisa.
Per. Look, who kneels here! Flesh of thy
flesh, Thaisa ;

Thy burden at the sea, and call'd Marina,
For she was yielded there.
Thai.
Blest, and mine own!
Hel. Hail, madam, and my queen!
Thai.
I know you not.
Per. You have heard me say, when I did
fly from Tyre,

Thai. Lord Cerimon hath letters of good My father's dead.

[credit, sir, Per. Heavens make a star of him! Yet

there, my queen,

We'll celebrate their nuptials, and ourselves
Will in that kingdom spend our following days;
Our son and daughter shall in Tyrus reign.
Lord Cerimon, we do our longing stay,
To hear the rest untold:-Sir, lead the way.
[Exeunt.
Enter Gower.

Gow. In Antiochus, and his daughter, you
have heard

Of monstrous lust the due and just reward;
In Pericles, his queen, and daughter, seen
(Although assail'd with fortune fierce and keen)
Virtue preserv'd from fell destruction's blast,
Led on by heaven, and crown'd with joy at
In Helicanus may you well descry [last.
A figure of truth, of faith, of loyalty:
In reverend Cerimon there well appears
The worth that learned charity aye wears :
For wicked Cleon and his wife, when fame
Had spread their cursèd deed, and honour'd

VENUS AND ADONIS.

TO THE

RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY WRIOTHESLY,
EARL OF SOUTHAMPTON, AND BARON OF TITCHFIELD.

RIGHT HONOURABLE,

I KNOW not how I shall offend in dedicating my unpolished lines to your Lordship, nor how the world will censure me for choosing so strong a prop to support so weak a burden : only, if your honour seem but pleased, I account myself highly praised, and vow to take advantage of all idle hours, till I have honoured you with some graver labour. But if the first heir of my invention proved deformed, I shall be sorry it had so noble a godfather, and never after ear so barren a land, for fear it yield me still so bad a harvest. I leave it to your honourable survey, and your honour to your heart's content; which I wish may always answer your own wish, and the world's hopeful expectation.

Your Honour's in all duty,

WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE.

So soon was she along, as he was down,
Each leaning on their elbows and their hips:
Now doth she stroke his cheek, now doth he
frown,

And 'gins to chide, but soon she stops his lips:
And kissing speaks, with lustful language
broken,
[open."
"If thou wilt chide, thy lips shall never

9.
He burns with bashful shame: she with her
tears
[cheeks:
Doth quench the maiden burning of his
Then with her windy sighs, and golden hairs,
To fan and blow them dry again she seeks:

He saith, she is immodest, blames her 'miss;
What follows more, she murders with a kiss.

IO.

Even as an empty eagle, sharp by fast, [bone.
Tires with her beak on feathers, flesh, and
Shaking her wings, devouring all in haste,
Till either gorge be stuff'd, or prey be gone;

26.

Witness this primrose bank whereon I lie; These forceless flowers like sturdy trees support me ;

[the sky,

The heat I have from thence doth little harm,
Thine eye darts forth the fire that burneth me.
And were I not immortal, life were done,
Between this heavenly and earthly sun.

34.

Two strengthless doves will draw me through
From morn till night, even where I list to sport" Art thou obdurate, flinty, hard as steel,

"Torches are made to light, jewels to wear, Dainties to taste, fresh beauty for the use, Herbs for their smell, and sappy plants to bear;

breedeth beauty;

[abuse:

Thou wast begot,-
-to get it is thy duty.

O had thy mother borne so hard a mind, She had not brought forth thee, but died unkind.

35. [this? 'What am I that thou shouldst contemn me Or what great danger dwells upon my suit? What were thy lips the worse for one poor kiss?

[mute: Speak, fair; but speak fair words, or else be Give me one kiss, I'll give it thee again, And one for interest, if thou wilt have twain. 36.

Things growing to themselves are growth's
Seeds spring from seeds, and beauty"Fie, lifeless picture, cold and senseless stone,
Well-painted idol, image, dull and dead,
Statue, contenting but the eye alone,
Thing like a man, but of no woman bred;
Thou art no man, though of a man's com-
plexion,
[tion."
For men will kiss even by their own direc-

"

29.

'Upon the earth's increase why shouldst thou
feed?

Unless the earth with thy increase be fed?
By law of nature thou art bound to breed,
That thine may live, when thou thyself art dead;
And so in spite of death thou dost survive,
In that thy likeness still is left alive."

30.

By this, the love-sick queen began to sweat;
For, where they lay, the shadow had forsook
And Titan, 'tirèd in the midday heat, [them,
With burning eye did hotly overlook them;

Wishing Adonis had his team to guide,
So he were like him, and by Venus' side.
31.

And now Adonis with a lazy sprite,
And with a heavy, dark, disliking eye,
His lowering brows o'erwhelming his fair sight,
Like misty vapours, when they blot the sky,
Souring his cheeks, cries, "Fie, no more of
love!

The sun doth burn my face; I must remove."
32.

"Ah me," quoth Venus, young, and so

unkind!

What bare excuses mak'st thou to be gone!
I'll sigh celestial breath, whose gentle wind
Shall cool the heat of this descending sun;

I'll make a shadow for thee of my hairs;
If they burn too, I'll quench them with my

tears.

33.

"The sun that shines from heaven shines but Round rising hillocks, brakes obscure and

warm,

And lo, I lie between that sun and thee:

rough,

To shelter thee from tempest and from rain;